Antifertility activity of ethanol leaf extract of moringa oleifera lam. In female wistar rats

Abstract

Moringa oleifera Lam. extract appeared to boost pregnancy while some literature reported abortive activity causing a dilemma in users. Present study was conducted to rule out the fertility enhancement effect of the extract. Ethanol extract was evaluated at dose levels of 100, 250, 500 mg/kg on fertility, implantation, decidualization and local cytokine signalling during decidualization in female Wistar rats with artificially induced decidualization. Moringa oleifera at dose levels of 250 and 500 mg/kg led to defective implantation with smaller and dull in colour implants compared to the control group, which could be due to defective decidualization. Further, artificial decidualization studies revealed dose-dependent reduction in weight gain, oestradiol levels and progesterone levels, which led to reduced expression of various local cytokines, cyclooxygenase-2, leukaemia inhibitory factor, vascular endothelial growth factor and interleukin 11 as became evident by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction studies. The present study revealed that Moringa oleifera ethanol extract at dose 250 and 500 mg/kg produced antifertility activity by inhibiting the implantation in female rats, which warranted further evaluation for potential contraceptive action.